The striking scene of
Judith cutting off Holofernes’s head with his own sword in his own bed has inspired the imaginations of readers for millennia. But there is more to her story than just this climactic act and more to her character than just beauty and violence. This volume offers a comprehensive examination of gender ideologies in the book of
Judith, from the hyper-masculine machinations of war and empire to the dynamics of class in
Judith’s relationship with her enslaved handmaid. Overall, this commentary investigates the book of
Judith through a feminist lens, informed by critical masculinity studies, queer theory, and reception criticism.
Judith